Waking up early is a good idea in theory. It allows you to seize more of the day while experiencing the simple pleasantries that come with the morning hours. Yes, waking up early seems like a good idea - until you are laying in bed as the alarm clock goes off that is! So what can Birmingham residents seeking earlier starts to the day do to feel inspired when they first open their eyes in the wee hours of the morning? Fortunately, About Town Magazine is here with the answers! Here are a few simple lifestyle adjustments to make mornings a bigger part of your daily routine.
Create Healthier Sleeping Habits
One of the most impactful factors of when we wake up is the quality of sleep we get each night. We’ve all heard the saying “Early to bed, early to rise” but how can we create an environment that brings out our finest sleeping moments? Having electronics on, eating late night meals, and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or caffeine are a few examples of factors that can reduce the quality of our sleep. Be intentional with your sleeping time and reduce any obstacles that can hurt your sleep quality.
Avoid Sleep Debt
Did you know that when we have a night without the proper amount of sleep our body has to make up for it at another point in time? Regularly losing sleep can lead to what we call sleep debt, and like all debts it is not something you want to have. Keeping a semi-regular sleeping schedule and avoiding nights with no sleep is important for ensuring that we are able to wake up early.
Plan Ahead
Night time you can be morning you’s best friend when it comes to getting up early. Little adjustments around your room can make it much easier to get up earlier. A couple of examples include putting your alarm clock on the other side of the room and leaving your curtains open so that the natural sun light brightens your room. Both of these actions encourage you to wake up and more importantly - get out of bed - earlier.
You’ve been given the keys to waking up earlier and remember, it gets easier with practice! Now go get that worm, you early bird.
Cover image by Acharaporn Kamornboonyarush
